FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — It turns out the Patriots signed Tim Tebow in part because their owner thinks the team’s “spirituality” was lacking.

That was the surprising word yesterday from Robert Kraft, who is more than happy to fill in the numerous blanks left by tight-lipped coach Bill Belichick when it comes to explaining New England’s surprise decision this week to sign the polarizing ex-Jets quarterback.

“For me personally, having Tim Tebow on this team, he’s someone who believes in spirituality, he’s very competitive, works hard and has a great attitude,” Kraft said at a charity event at Gillette Stadium honoring his late wife.

AP

Tim Tebow

“He’s a winner, and the fact that spirituality is so important to him is very appealing to me.”

Kraft also labeled Tebow’s openly religious nature as “an added dimension” that helped convince the Patriots to sign him to a two-year deal (with no guaranteed money) after five weeks on the NFL unemployment line.

Kraft even echoed the infamous comment by Jets owner Woody Johnson last summer that “you can never have enough Tebow” — a comment Johnson came to regret after the Jets barely used Tebow during the regular season and then released him in April.

“You can’t have enough good people around you, and [Tebow] has the added dimension of spirituality being so important to him, and that personally appeals to me a lot,” Kraft said.

That was certainly more of an explanation than Belichick was interested in providing. Once again showing his short patience for Tebow-related questions, the coach refused to say how he thought the newcomer performed Tuesday in the first day of the Patriots’ three-day mandatory minicamp.

“We’re not going to get into a minute-by-minute evaluation of a player,” Belichick said. “I don’t think that’s the way to go, especially at this time of year.”

Belichick’s boss wasn’t afraid to do exactly that, however, and Kraft raised more eyebrows in the process by praising Tebow’s much-criticized throwing skills.

Kraft went so far as to compare the awkward left-hander favorably to fellow Patriot passers Tom Brady (he of the three Super Bowl rings) and top backup Ryan Mallett.

“Watching Tebow throw [Tuesday in a minicamp workout], to me, he looked pretty good,” Kraft said. “It’s fun having him here. It’s nice to have three quarterbacks who can throw it really well.”

But Kraft contradicted his own organization’s actions by saying Tebow “is just one of 90” players on the Patriots’ current roster, which was curious in light of the team continuing to hype sales of his No. 5 jersey on its website.

All NFL clubs are allowed by league rules to have two “star” players who only have to speak to the media once per week, and the Patriots announced yesterday Tebow — a third-stringer — and Brady are their two designated stars.

Kraft, who has said repeatedly he doesn’t want Brady to ever come off the field when the Patriots are on offense, appeared to shoot down the prospect of Tebow ever being used at quarterback in a gadget-play situation.

“In my mind, we have the greatest quarterback of all time on our team,” Kraft said. “And every time he has the ball in his hand, we have a chance to do something great.Nothing has changed in that regard for me.”

Brady didn’t seem too keen on that possibility, either, when asked by The Post how he would feel about coming off the field for even one play when he is healthy.

“That’s a very hypothetical question,” Brady said. “So maybe we’ll deal with it if it happens.”

Interesting. While I believe that Tebow is a very good dude, and a winner in life, a very committed and hard worker, someone who can provide leadership even as a backup player, and provide a very great attitude and a great example to everyone on the team, I think Kraft made a mistake by bringing Tebows spiritualality into all of this. It kind of surprises me that Kraft brought that up. Yes, we all know that Tebow is a spiritual person but really that has nothing to do with football or a reason to add a player to the team.

Yeah, the NY Post is a really good source. Odds are Tebow doesn't make the team. BB hasn't carried 3 QBs on the roster since 2008.

so you are saying that they misquoted him?

I think it is funny that a guy that was banging an aspiring porn actress while the pats were ironing on his saintly dead wifes initials on their uniforms is talking about spirituality. I guess we all greive in our own ways...

I'm not sure why either of the two would look bad if they cut a player who is 3rd on the QB depth chart and has no guaranteed money tied to his contract.

He is essentially being brought in as a camp body to see what he can do, just like any other player that BB brings in for camp.

Why would either of them look bad if he's cut?

Well with all the praise Kraft is giving Tebow, if they cut him it kind of makes Kraft look like he doesn't know what he is talking about.

If BB cuts him he will be slammed for even bringing him in for a look in the first place. The Pats know what Tebow can do. Bringing in a high profile name like Tebow gets a whole lot more attention then bringing in and letting go of someone like Mike Kafka. This will follow BB around like a dirty sock. It will be another silly BB signing that didn't work out.

I hope Tebow makes the team, not sure how but I'm sure BB has a plan for him. Anyone order their Tebow jersey's or football cards yet?

I'm not sure why either of the two would look bad if they cut a player who is 3rd on the QB depth chart and has no guaranteed money tied to his contract.

He is essentially being brought in as a camp body to see what he can do, just like any other player that BB brings in for camp.

Why would either of them look bad if he's cut?

Well with all the praise Kraft is giving Tebow, if they cut him it kind of makes Kraft look like he doesn't know what he is talking about.

If BB cuts him he will be slammed for even bringing him in for a look in the first place. The Pats know what Tebow can do. Bringing in a high profile name like Tebow gets a whole lot more attention then bringing in and letting go of someone like Mike Kafka. This will follow BB around like a dirty sock. It will be another silly BB signing that didn't work out.

I hope Tebow makes the team, not sure how but I'm sure BB has a plan for him. Anyone order their Tebow jersey's or football cards yet?

He is a player they brought in for ZERO gauranteed money. If he makes the team great if he is cut nothing lost.

Not that your analysis is right or wrong but IMO I think it is curious why cutting a 3rd string QB without any salary cap ramifications would follow BB around like a "dirty sock". I understand the media fascination but looking at it as a pure football issue it's just another bottom of the roster player fighting for a job.

I'm not sure why either of the two would look bad if they cut a player who is 3rd on the QB depth chart and has no guaranteed money tied to his contract.

He is essentially being brought in as a camp body to see what he can do, just like any other player that BB brings in for camp.

Why would either of them look bad if he's cut?

Well with all the praise Kraft is giving Tebow, if they cut him it kind of makes Kraft look like he doesn't know what he is talking about.

If BB cuts him he will be slammed for even bringing him in for a look in the first place. The Pats know what Tebow can do. Bringing in a high profile name like Tebow gets a whole lot more attention then bringing in and letting go of someone like Mike Kafka. This will follow BB around like a dirty sock. It will be another silly BB signing that didn't work out.

I hope Tebow makes the team, not sure how but I'm sure BB has a plan for him. Anyone order their Tebow jersey's or football cards yet?

He is a player they brought in for ZERO gauranteed money. If he makes the team great if he is cut nothing lost.

Not the your analysis is right or wrong but IMO I think it is curious why cutting a 3rd string QB without any salary cap ramifications would follow BB around like a "dirty sock". I understand the media fascination but looking at it as a pure football issue it's just another bottom of the roster player fighting for a job.

It's Tim Tebow! The guy nobody wants but BB brings him. The whole attention whoring, media drama that comes with it and then he doesn't make the team. Hahaha!! The press will eat it up. Come on, if it was any other team we would all be laughing out butts off, making jokes about that team and their coach and then we would make even more fun of them if that team cut him. You know it, I know it, everyone knows it. The media knows it too.

But the really funny thing is.......... BB also know it but he doesn't give a #$&@, he is the honey badger! That's why I love this move so much. I like Tebow and BB doesn't care what anyone thinks, the dude is ruthless!

I'm not sure why either of the two would look bad if they cut a player who is 3rd on the QB depth chart and has no guaranteed money tied to his contract.

He is essentially being brought in as a camp body to see what he can do, just like any other player that BB brings in for camp.

Why would either of them look bad if he's cut?

Well with all the praise Kraft is giving Tebow, if they cut him it kind of makes Kraft look like he doesn't know what he is talking about.

If BB cuts him he will be slammed for even bringing him in for a look in the first place. The Pats know what Tebow can do. Bringing in a high profile name like Tebow gets a whole lot more attention then bringing in and letting go of someone like Mike Kafka. This will follow BB around like a dirty sock. It will be another silly BB signing that didn't work out.

I hope Tebow makes the team, not sure how but I'm sure BB has a plan for him. Anyone order their Tebow jersey's or football cards yet?

He is a player they brought in for ZERO gauranteed money. If he makes the team great if he is cut nothing lost.

Not the your analysis is right or wrong but IMO I think it is curious why cutting a 3rd string QB without any salary cap ramifications would follow BB around like a "dirty sock". I understand the media fascination but looking at it as a pure football issue it's just another bottom of the roster player fighting for a job.

It's Tim Tebow! The guy nobody wants but BB brings him. The whole attention whoring, media drama that comes with it and then he doesn't make the team. Hahaha!! The press will eat it up. Come on, if it was any other team we would all be laughing out butts off, making jokes about that team and their coach and then we would make even more fun of them if that team cut him. You know it, I know it, everyone knows it. The media knows it too.

But the really funny thing is.......... BB also know it but he doesn't give a #$&@, he is the honey badger! That's why I love this move so much. I like Tebow and BB doesn't care what anyone thinks, the dude is ruthless!

It really doesn't matter because unless he can contribute in other areas and beat out the players he will be competing against for those jobs he won't be on the 53 man roster. His only chance of actually sticking with the Pat's as a QB IMHO is to come up with a mysterious injury in the last pre-season game. This will give him a full year to stay with the Pat's on IR so he can study film, watch how TB prepares and operates during the season and study film and work on his weaknesses with Josh Mcdaniels.

He is a player they brought in for ZERO gauranteed money. If he makes the team great if he is cut nothing lost.

Not the your analysis is right or wrong but IMO I think it is curious why cutting a 3rd string QB without any salary cap ramifications would follow BB around like a "dirty sock". I understand the media fascination but looking at it as a pure football issue it's just another bottom of the roster player fighting for a job.

It's a drama queen thing. Some fans get a button pushed and they go there when reason says it's not that big of a deal. Some have it over one thing, some have it over another, some have it over almost anything. In the end it's harmless, even if annoying to more sober types.

Many were wringing their hands when BB traded for Dillon or Moss. Not me. Neither of those guys ever did anything that I thought went over some line that excluded them from being worth a try. Now, the kind of heinous acts a guy like Gomer perped in college make me think more than twice about it. But just some silly talk or acting up here or there isn't a big deal. Neither is negative hype created by clowns like Elway and the press worth paying much attention to.